


What To Expect When You're Unexpectedly Expecting

by Riddle_Me_Harry



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M, Mpreg, Slash
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-12
Updated: 2019-04-19
Packaged: 2019-11-16 03:45:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18086801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Riddle_Me_Harry/pseuds/Riddle_Me_Harry
Summary: There was a reason why a Horcrux was not supposed to be attached to a living person. Something that Harry and Voldemort learn the hard way when Lily’s protection failed after Harry left Privet Drive for the last time. But that doesn’t mean it ended up being a bad thing. Harry / Voldemort SLASH and MPREG





	1. Finding Out

**Author’s Note:**

Hi. I couldn’t help myself with this story. I know I have other things that I should be spending my time with but this idea would not leave me alone until I put down the first chapter down. Story starts in TDH when Ron abandons Harry and Hermione and then quickly diverges from canon.

 

 **Plot:** There was a reason why a Horcrux was not supposed to be attached to a living person. Something that Harry and Voldemort learn the hard way when Lily’s protection failed after Harry left Privet Drive for the last time. But that doesn’t mean it ended up being a bad thing. Harry / Voldemort SLASH and MPREG

 

 **Warning:** This contains SLASH and Male Pregnancy. Please do not ignore those warnings only to give me flames later on. If you don’t like it then don’t read it.

 

**Here is my disclaimer that I do not own anything Harry Potter related and what follows is merely for entertainment purposes. No money is being made. All credit goes to JK for the wonderful world of Harry Potter that she gifted us with.**

* * *

 

                  “Yeah, you’re right!” Harry said to Hermione, momentarily forgetting the discomfort that had been plaguing him for the last several weeks.

                  He swallowed back the residual bile that always seemed to be present now from his recent bouts of throwing up and general nausea.

                  “So, would he have hidden the sword well away from Hogsmeade, then? What d’you reckon, Ron? Ron?”

                  Harry tore his eyes away from Hermione as he glanced around the tent wondering where Ron had gotten off to. He could have sworn the redhead had been here a few minutes ago.

                  Unfortunately, Ron had been physically quite close to Harry and Hermione the entire time they had been discussing the most likely places where Dumbledore had placed the real Goblin-made blade. In fact, the apparent ease at which his friends had forgotten his presence only made the nagging thoughts that had been festering in the back of his mind worse.

This wild goose chase was not what he had signed up for and the casual way that his very presence in the small tent had been ignored was the last straw.

“Oh, remembered me, have you?” He bit out harshly.

“What?” Harry turned towards the shadow in the bunk bed across from where Hermione and he had been sitting.

Ron snorted from where he lay on his back, his eyes looking at the bottom of the top bunk.

“Suddenly remembered that it’s not just you two?”

Ron rolled onto his side and glared at them.

“What, what are you talking about?” Harry replied with furrowed eyebrows. He didn’t know where this was coming from and he didn’t really have the energy to deal with it.

“You know what – never mind!” Ron huffed out, his gimlet stare belying his statement.

“What is _your_ problem?”

Harry’s voice was louder now; he was not in the mood for this given how tired and _off_ his whole body had been feeling.

“Problem!” Ron laughed harshly. “I don’t have a problem.”

“Clearly you do.”

“I don’t know, Harry, maybe – just maybe – I assumed that you had some semblance of an idea as to what we would be doing. I’m not exactly having the time of my life here living day after day in this Merlin-forsaken tent when everyday it becomes more and more clear that you haven’t the slightest clue about any of the crap that Dumbledore left to you.”

There was genuine rage in Ron’s eyes and he glared at Harry with contempt.

“I thought you knew what you were signing up for!” Harry roared back, clearly blindsided by Ron’s outburst.

Harry moved to stand only to suddenly find that his balance was off; he quickly threw his left hand out on the table between him and Ron to support himself.

The lightheadedness that he had been suffering from on account of not being able to keep much food down during the past two weeks was really catching up with him.

“I shared everything with you that I knew!” Harry growled in annoyance at Ron’s antics.

“And I mean everything! Every little thing that Dumbledore passed onto me I passed onto you. What, did you expect that I was keeping things from you and that once we were away on our own I was suddenly going to pull out a treasure map with everything spelled out as to what we needed to do? Are you really that thick headed!”

Harry may not have been feeling that great but he was well and truly pissed off now.

“Ron…” Hermione said in a quiet voice that both boys heard but neither acknowledged.

“I just thought that you knew what you were doing! Hermione and I both did!” Ron was seething now.

“Ron…” Hermione said with a quiet but sharp voice. “Take the locket off. You wouldn’t be talking like this if it weren’t for the locket.”

“Yeah, he would,” Harry said without blinking an eye. “And before you begin, Hermione, I know you two have been talking behind my back. D’you really think I didn’t notice the whispers ever since we moved on from Grimmauld Place?”

“Harry, we weren’t…”

“Don’t lie!” Ron shouted. “You said it too, that you were disappointed; that you thought Harry had a bit more to go on than -”

“Not like that, Ron!” Hermione cried. “I didn’t say it like that, Harry.”

There was silence for a few moments before Ron apparently realized that he had more to say.

“And it’s not like things are getting any better… this sword is now just another thing we have to add to our list of things to find. That is, if Harry doesn’t keep getting sicker and sicker. Don’t tell me the stress of this isn’t getting to you. I see you excusing yourself to throw up when you think no one is looking – you’ve barely been able to keep anything down… probably from all the guilt of leading us along blindly!”

“If things are so bad for you then why are you still here?”

“I’ve been asking myself that more and more, you know.”

“Then go home!” Harry yelled, needing both hands to now steady himself on his feet.

“You know what? That sounds like a great idea.”

Ron then felt the need to bring up his family and how Harry obviously didn’t care that Ron spent the majority of his time worrying about something bad happening to them. However, he crossed a line when he said, “it’s all right for the two of you though, what with your parents safely out of the way-”

“My parents are _dead_!” Harry interrupted in a cold fury.

“And mine could be going the same way!” Ron yelled right back.

“Then go you supreme git! GO!” said Harry, ignoring the faint dizziness beginning to seep into into his mind.

Ron turned to leave and Harry slammed his fist on the table, not even caring that he was momentarily unbalanced.

“Leave the Horcrux!”

A second later and Slytherin’s Locket bounced across the table before Ron grabbed his bag, turning to face Hermione.

“What are you doing?” He asked pointedly.

“What do you mean?” Hermione replied in a hollow voice.

“Are you staying, or what?”

Hermione had a pained expression on her face.

“Ron…” she said while her eyes brimmed with tears, “I’m staying. We said we would go with Harry, we said we would help-”

“I get it,” he spit out. “You choose him. Fine.”

Ron then spun on his feet and exited the tent.

“Ron!” Hermione cried, running after him.

Harry felt the adrenaline leave him and he slid back into his chair. He was exhausted and didn’t have the energy to think too deeply on what had just happened. He felt weak, to the point of passing out even.

But still he reached for the Locket. His fingers closed around the metal and he took a few deep breaths as a wave of relief washed over him. He was still quite tired but he at least had the energy to crawl over to his bunk and fall forward.

He had just turned over to his side when Hermione reentered the tent, her face white and her eyes vacant.

“He’s gone…” she whispered to no one before making her way over to a chair and falling into it.

Her sobs picked up just as Harry gave into his exhaustion and closed his eyes.

 

* * *

 

The next time Harry opened them was morning, though he barely felt like he had gotten any meaningful rest. His body still felt like it had been stretched too thin for too long and he had no idea why. He knew that something was wrong but he refused to believe that it had anything to do with what Ron had said. He had been up front with them and had actually tried to talk them out of going with him.

The only positive note that his tired mind quickly grabbed onto and focused on instead was that at least his stomach finally felt like it could keep something down. In fact, for the first time in several days he was both hungry and had an appetite.

Small miracles, he supposed.

Harry sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed, testing his balance before pushing off the mattress with his hands at the same time that he stood. Then he walked over to what had become their little eating area, passing Hermione who was curled up in the chair that she had passed out in over her grief with Ron’s departure. The underside of her eyes were red and swollen and it only confirmed in Harry’s mind that the events of last night had actually happened.

Ron was gone; he had abandoned them.

“Of course he did,” Harry muttered darkly under his breath.

He wasn’t surprised in the least that Ron had tapped out right when the going got tough.

“It’s not like it’s the first time he’s done something like that,” Harry said quietly to himself while he moved to prepare some oatmeal for breakfast.

He had just finished heating the combination of oats and water with a heating spell when Hermione stirred in the chair.

She moaned and her eyelids shot open to reveal bloodshot eyes. Her neck snapped from side to side as she took in the sparse tent; it was clear that for the briefest of moments she had been hoping that last night had just been a terrible dream.

Harry turned to look at his bowl, avoiding her eyes as the realization that his first friend really was gone settled in.

For the next several moments Harry focused on his oatmeal to give her privacy. At first he spooned small bites into his mouth and chewed slowly before swallowing to make sure his stomach was ready for food. Once he determined that not only would he be able to keep the food down but that it felt good in his stomach, Harry began to take larger and larger spoonfuls.

“I can’t believe he did that,” Hermione said with a pained expression on her face as she sat down at the table.

                  She crossed her arms in front of her and shivered.

                  “Here,” Harry slid a steaming bowl across the table. “Eat.”

                  There was silence as both finished their meals.

                  When she was finished, Hermione looked up at the empty bowls in front of them.

                  “You ate.”

                  “Bout time.”

                  Harry raised his head to meet her eyes.

                  “I… thanks for staying, Hermione. I’m not sure I could do this without you.”

                  She looked like she wanted to say something but when she went to open her mouth nothing came out. So she nodded.

                  “I’m sorry,” Harry said.

                  “It’s not your fault,” she managed to return.

                  Then she took a deep breath.

                  “Anyways, it’s my turn for the locket. I don’t think either of us should go more than half a day… we can’t afford to let it affect us like that.”

                  She shifted in her chair and extended her arm to Harry, leaving her fingers flat and her palm turned upwards.

                  Without thinking about it Harry brought up both hands to lift the locket over his head, only, as his right hand began to reach out to give it to her he suddenly began to feel very _off_.

                  He continued to hold onto the chain even as Hermione’s fingers closed around the locket and began to bring it closer to her.

                  “Sorry,” Harry shook his head to the side when he noticed that he still hadn’t let go.

His verdant eyes flickered and his gaze shot from the chain to stare directly at his friend.

“I suddenly don’t feel all that well.”

                  A fraction of a second later and his gut clenched sharply.

                  “Ahhhh!” Harry moaned as his hands dropped to encircle his stomach. He leaned forward in the chair and inched himself painfully to the side so that he could fall to the floor.

                  “Hermione!” Harry pleaded desperately as his body curled up into the fetal position.

                  “It hurts….” He whispered painfully.

                  At once Hermione forgot about the Locket and dropped it on the table before moving around to hover over her fallen friend.

                  “What’s wrong?” She inquired in a nervous fear as her eyes darted over his body, making sure that whatever was causing him pain wasn’t overtly obvious.

                  “My… stomach…” Harry gasped through gritted teeth.

                  It felt like an explosion had gone off inside of him and for the next several minutes he focused on his breathing while Hermione’s wand waved frantically over him.

                  “I don’t know what I’m looking for!” She cried, quickly beginning to work through the few diagnostic spells that she had made it a point to learn during the previous summer.

                  However, one by one they turned up inconclusive. Though, now that the immediate panic was over, her mind was able to think more clearly as it ran through a list of the most probable causes and if any of her remaining diagnostic spells could rule them in or out.

                  “An Ulcer,” she whispered so quietly to herself that Harry didn’t hear her.

                  Of course, Harry was too focused on the pain to pay her that much attention. The only thing he cared about at this point was that whatever unholy hell had been unleashed felt like it was starting to subside. Slightly.

                  “Damnit!” Hermione huffed in annoyance when her Ulcer hypothesis came back negative.

                  She was running out of ideas and spells to test them with.

                  Just then, however, while Hermione noticed that Harry’s breathing was returning to normal and some of the tension was leaving his face she had an unexpected thought.

                  “No,” she said just as quickly before she had a chance to fully consider the extreme and completely unlikely idea that had popped into her mind.

However, as the seconds ticked by she found that her crazy notion just would not leave her alone.

In fact, the more she thought about it the more it explained what she knew about Harry’s recent behavior and symptoms… and, technically, it was possible for wizards on account of magic.

No matter how uncommon it was in the wizarding world, _it_ was possible.

Her unsteady hand caused her wand to move in a small circle over Harry’s stomach as she whispered the incantation she couldn’t believe that she actually thought could give insight into what was wrong with Harry.

“ _Fetus revelio!”_

A second later she gasped as a light blue fog made it all too clear.

“Harry, you’re pregnant.”

 

* * *

 

**The hows and why will be explained in the next few chapters and I’m sure you can take a wild stab at who the father will be. Sorry not sorry, though reviews would be encouraging. For those who care, I’m making significant progress on The Dark Lord’s Equal.**


	2. The Paternity Test

**Author’s Note:**

Wow. Thanks for that kind of response. Hope you like this installment and as always reviews are appreciated!

 

**Here is my disclaimer that I do not own anything Harry Potter related and what follows is merely for entertainment purposes. No money is being made. All credit goes to JK for the wonderful world of Harry Potter that she gifted us with.**

 

* * *

 

“Harry, you’re pregnant.”

Harry’s face snapped up at her. Shock was colored into all of his features.

His mouth opened and then closed, and then it opened again.

“What… but, Hermione – I’m not… I mean, I haven’t… how is this possible?” Harry’s voice had gotten progressively higher amid his ramblings of a statement. Or a question.

In this situation it was sort of hard to tell.

“I, I’m not sure how it happened, Harry… but it is possible for men to become, you know, after doing…” her voice trailed off as her eyes looked down to Harry’s stomach.

Suddenly her face paled at what she was implying, but it hadn’t become nearly as white as Harry’s face was now.

Who by the way then seemed to sidestep _that_ implication altogether, settling right upon the crux of the problem.

“Pregnant.”

Harry said very matter-of-factly, hardly any emotion could be heard in his voice on account of the shock.

For her part Hermione couldn’t blame him for the stupefied expression frozen on his face; though, she did take his inability to say anything else as an opportunity to work through her own perception of the bombshell announcement and what it meant for them.

The brightest witch of her age looked upon Harry’s stunned countenance with her own wonder, speckled in with a mild dash of annoyance.

Normally, while she loved being presented with a complex problem to solve, this specific little quagmire had come at the absolute worst time.

How were they supposed to look for and rid the world of those dastardly Horcruxes with Harry in this condition?

Despite her feelings of abandonment and betrayal over Ron’s departure the previous night, she at least had enough of her mental faculties to realize the small blessing that his absence now provided. Without a doubt she knew that he would not have taken this _little_ development well at all.

Quite possibly, he would only have made things worse.

Those thoughts actually had a stabilizing effect on her approach to the situation at hand.

“This is just like any other problem,” she whispered faintly to herself, calling upon the direct and no-nonsense way of handling adversity that her previous years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry had instilled into her psyche.

“First, gather all of the evidence that you can and then see if you can make that into a working hypothesis.”

There, her mind already felt clearer.

“Harry,” said the young woman, “are you sure that you can think of _nothing_ that might explain your current situation?”

Then, as she saw Harry tense and his eyes begin to fill with what looked like obvious panic, she quickly interjected.”

“I’m not judging, Harry… I would never do that… about anything that _may_ or may not have happened. I’m just trying to understand as much as I can.”

Her voice was much softer now, almost motherly as she tried to coax her friend into telling her something that she had been idly wondering about for a while now.

“Honestly, Hermione,” his higher than normal voice was quick to respond, “I’m positive that I haven’t done anything that would remotely qualify as allowing myself to end up like this.”

He glanced downwards towards his stomach again and pointed, but as soon as he did so his faced relaxed somewhat. The alarm and uncertainty had yet to wear off but another emotion slowly began to creep into his cheeks. Slowly, his hands reached out and downwards to tentatively probe his abdomen.

Suddenly, a most curious expression flitted across his features, one that had both a hint of longing and the barest traces of contentment sprinkled throughout.

However, Hermione also thought that she detected the smallest undertones that told her that her friend had just found something that had already completed and irrevocably captured his heart.

Of course, the sentimental and heartfelt display didn’t distract the other part of her well-organized mind that noticed that while Harry had been adamant about not having sex, he hadn’t exactly denied that his sexual orientation precluded him from ending up in said situation.

Still, the question of Harry’s sexuality aside, if Harry’s admission of not having had sex was taken at face value, then she was even more at a loss to explain how Harry had ended up _with child._

Therefore, it was a resigned but still determined Hermione Granger that again picked up the medical textbook that she had brought and over the next thirty minutes committed anything and everything that had to do with pregnancy – magical or otherwise – to memory.

The section hadn’t been that long, a few pages at most, but when she was finished she had a couple of diagnostic spells that she felt would be appropriate to test out.

Facing this situation like she would any homework assignment that called for a practical application of the theory, Hermione picked up her wand again and looked at Harry.

Only, as she flicked her eyes toward him a smile broke out onto her face. For there Harry was, cradling his stomach with both hands with a look on his face that indicated that he was already committed to loving this child unconditionally.

That was just the sort of person that Harry was and would always be and there wasn’t one iota of doubt in her mind that Harry would want anything other than to keep it.

                  “Harry,” her warm voice got his attention and caused him to look up into her eyes.

                  His cheeks reddened when he realized what his intelligent friend had no doubt already concluded.

                  “I don’t know much about this sort of thing – and I’m sure that we will have to acquire more appropriate books later, possibly even see a medical professional – but there are a few spells in here that I would like to try.”

                  The seventeen-year-old boy, his messy black hair in even more disarray than usual, took a deep breath.

                  “What kind of spells, Hermione?”

                  “Well, there are a few that will be immediately useful, and hopefully be able to help us understand how this all came about.”

                  Harry nodded and she continued.

                  “For instance, I want to determine the general health of the baby and how far along it is. Of course, there is also the matter of …”

                  Her voice trailed off; she was suddenly unsure as to how to bring this up. But Harry just looked at her expectantly and she just threw it out there.

                  “There is the matter of finding out who the other parent is.”

                  “Oh!” Harry’s eyebrows shot up in understanding.

                  “There is a spell that can determine … maternity, paternity?”

                  Harry didn’t know how to ask whether him being pregnant meant that there were two fathers or if in addition to him there was an unknown mother out there.

                  Whatever uncertainty or apprehension that Hermione had she did an admirable job of keeping most of her emotion off her face.

                  “I honestly don’t know about the gender of the other parent but I was thinking that determining who that other person was could give us an idea as to how this happened.”

                  Harry nodded along.

                  “And even if we still didn’t know the exact cause at least we would have a better place to start.”

                  This was all happening so fast but Harry thought that he was doing his best to adjust to the situation and remain calm. For the most part.

Of course, he couldn’t resist the idle thought as to just how many people in the world first found out they were pregnant before having to wonder who the other parent was. And considering that he was still a virgin – not counting the possibility of being Obliviated – he was sure that it was a very small number indeed.

                  Shaking that thought from his mind, it was now Harry’s turn to approach the situation head on like any true Gryffindor would and just get on with it. Though, his first priority was making sure the baby, his baby, was first and foremost healthy.

                  “I want to know that the baby is okay, first. That seems like the most important thing.”

                  Hermione steadied her wand and nodded, before doing another small wave over Harry’s stomach.

                  “ _Fetus salutem_!” She couldn’t keep all of the emotion out of her voice.

                  What if the baby was sick or ill?

                  A few seconds later though and she relaxed.

                  “It’s healthy, Harry.”

                  There was a smile on her face and Harry exhaled a breath he hadn’t known that he had been holding.

                  “Oh, thank Merlin!”

                  “Okay, next let’s see how far along you are.”

                  This time she traced her wand in a semicircle pattern before flicking downwards as directed in the text.

                  “ _Fetus tempus!_ ”

                  The results of the spell took Hermione a few seconds to work out in her head.

                  “It looks like you are nearly three months along, which would mean that you got pregnant sometime around your birthday.”

                  Hermione looked at Harry with a piercing and expectant gaze.

                  “Sorry, Hermione. It still doesn’t ring a bell… not unless someone erased my memory.”

                  Hermione made a face characterized by a wrinkling of her nose.

                  “We can explore _that_ possibility later, though I’m almost positive that nothing happened after you got to the Weasley’s. However, given the protection around Privet Drive, it’s unlikely that anything happened there either.”

                  Harry shrugged – doing his best to ignore that line of thinking by moving right along, even if he had brought it up.

                  “Well, what’s next? Should we do the sex or find out who this mysterious, other parent is?”

                  After finding out that the baby was momentarily okay, Harry was leaning towards finding out who he was going to be having a baby with.

                  It didn’t matter to him in the least whether or not his baby was a boy or a girl; he wouldn’t love either sex any less or more than the other.

                  “Let’s see whose baby I’m having, then,” Harry decided with determination in his eyes.

                  Again the witch swished her wand and this time drew a figure eight over Harry’s gut two times before flicking it upwards in a swift motion.

                  “ _Fetus parens revelio!”_

At once a soft green hue began to form just inches above Harry’s abdomen in the shape that Hermione had just drawn with her wand. Then, as if a vine was growing out of his stomach snaking it’s way toward sunlight, a small string of intense white light began to rise upwards.

                  After about a foot it split into two, with one side shooting off to reveal a completely see-through image of Harry’s face. Harry held his breath as he watched the other image take shape and then for a second his heart stopped.

                  In fact, he was pretty sure that the entire world had stopped spinning because what he was seeing just didn’t make any sense.

                  “Impossible!” Hermione hissed, causing Harry’s to exhale as his face blanched.

                  The name that left his lips was completely hollow and completely unexpected.

                  “Voldemort…”

                  Neither spoke as they stared at the flickering image of Harry and the Dark Lord. Seconds turned into minutes and for the first time Hermione’s mind was completely blank.

                  Suddenly the sound of a twig breaking outside brought them back to the present.

                  As one their heads snapped towards the shadows that could be seen gathering outside their tent.

                  And then all hell broke loose.

* * *

 

**Thanks for reading. Reviews are helpful but not required.**


	3. The Announcement

**AN:** I am going to try to shoot for updates every Friday. I’ve found that working on this story actually helps me consistently write for The Dark Lord’s Equal. Also, very glad to know that you all have appreciated the development so far. I may not respond to all reviews but I read and consider each one, especially if they frame something in a way that I’ve never considered before. Kudos for making me laugh, too.

 

**JK owns everything.**

* * *

 

                  Harry’s eyes widened in horror at the approaching shadows that could be seen circling outside the tent. Neither him nor Hermione were foolish or desperate enough to think for even the briefest of seconds that Ron had returned to them.

                  These people had to be Snatchers; witches and wizards that earned their coin by rounding up those who the Voldemort’s new administration labeled as unsavory in some way.

                  Which usually meant either Muggleborns, half-bloods, or the so-called blood-traitors, who were Purebloods that had allegedly forsaken the noble dignity and Merlin-given place atop the wizarding hierarchy because they thought all witches and wizards were equals.

                  Unfortunately for Harry and Hermione, they also just so happened to be the most wanted individuals in all of wizarding Britain and a prize that these Snatchers couldn’t have even imagined when the Taboo Curse that Lord Voldemort had cast led them straight here.

                  Simply put: Harry and Hermione were in trouble and they had to think quickly if there was any hope of escape; or at the very least, survival.

                  With precious seconds already wasted, the pair turned their heads away from the open flap and shared a look, an unspoken understanding passing quickly between them: it was time to put contingency plan number three into effect.

                  Hermione was the first to have her wand in hand and she pointed it directly at the table they had just been sitting at.

                  “ _Wingardium leviosa!_ ” She said quickly and purposefully.

                  She willed the table upwards with her magic until it was over their heads and then twisted her wand to the left so that the table floating in mid air tilted to the side. Simultaneously, she also brought her other hand so that her fingers were fully extended upwards, with her palm a few inches behind her wand. Then with a swift outwards motion she banished the table towards the opening so that the table’s legs were now sticking out of the tent, leaving the entranceway mostly blocked.

                  It would buy them at least a few more seconds.

                  Harry meanwhile had not been sitting idly by, for the moment that the table tipped and gravity began to pull the Locket towards the Earth, Harry hastened the Horcux to him with a swish from his own wand.

                  “ _Accio Locket!”_ He commanded from where he was still sitting on the floor.

                  He didn’t even wait for the Locket to fly into his outstretched hand before he turned ninety degrees to the right and aimed his wand once more.

                  “ _Accio Hermione’s bag!_ ”

                  As Hermione’s impressive and feather-light bag with an undetectable Expansion Charm came careening towards him from across the room, Harry let go of his wand, allowing it to fall into his lap, thus freeing up his hand to grab the bag out of the air.

                  The incineration of the table that stood between their assailants and them did little to distract Harry as he stuffed the Locket into the bag before snatching his wand and transfiguring the bag into a small ring that he discreetly placed on his right hand as the Snatchers entered the tent.

                  Once the Locket – and all of their earthly possessions – were safely hidden, Harry turned his wand towards the front of the tent to support Hermione who was sending hex after hex towards the incoming Snatchers.

                  Spells flew about the cramped space in a heated frenzy that charged the air in an electric haze. But Hermione, and especially Harry who was still sitting on the floor, were at a tactical disadvantage.

                  It was inevitable given that they were outnumbered ten to two, and eventually Harry was just a fraction of a second too slow to deflect the stunner that Fenrir Greyback had sent his way.

                  The red spell connected with his chest and Harry slipped from consciousness.

                  Knowing then that she was beaten, Hermione’s last act was to ready her wand to send a Stinging Hex straight at Harry’s head. Unfortunately, she too was just not fast enough to get the spell off before a stunner slammed into her side and she knew no more.

                  “Get them!” Greyback growled.

He pointed his wand in the direction of his fallen victims but then something caught his eye that got his full attention. When his team originally had responded to the utterance of the Taboo he expected this to be like any other tagging of half-bloods or Muggleborns on the run… but now he realized they had struck gold.

The ends of his mouth curled upwards in a predatory smirk while his eyes shone with unholy glee.

                  “…‘ello there poppets!”

The other Snatchers noticed the excitement in his voice and Greyback couldn’t hold his laugh in anymore.

                 “Seems that today is our lucky today, boys,” he said in response to the eager expression on their faces. “Why, I do believe that this here is Undesirable Number One _and_ Two. Change of plans boys, it’s straight to Malfoy Manor…”

                  Their cheers were echoed in his dark laugh, and the combined sound of jubilant malice reverberated throughout the tent even as the distinctive pops of Apparition sounded and the forest became silent once more.

 

* * *

 

                  Harry blinked his eyes open to a most unwelcome sight. For there, on the other side of the expansive hall with dark oak paneling, was Bellatrix Lestrange.

Immediately, Harry growled. “Bellatrix!”

Without thought, he prepared his body to charge at the maniacal woman before him.

Only, he couldn’t; he couldn’t move either his hands or his feet. The confusion stayed with him for less than half a second before the realization of the previous events in the tent and what that meant came to him.

They had been caught and taken straight to the enemy. Malfoy Manor if he had to guess seeing as how Lucius and Narcissa were standing off to the side with a comfortable but decidedly relieved expression on their faces.

Harry then looked upwards and then to the ground and noticed that he was suspended in the air, magical ropes binding his outstretched arms over his head at a forty-five degree angle. The same with his feet, only spread out below him and bound to the floor.

That awareness, combined with the fading anger upon being in the same room with his Godfather’s murderer, allowed his mind to numbly appreciate the impossible position that he now found himself in.

Bellatrix cackled with the look of panic and dread that settled onto Harry’s face.

                 “Hello itsy, bitsy, wittle Potty.”

Harry continued to struggle against his invisible bonds while she inched towards him, twirling her hair with her slightly curved wand.

With the immediate shock over he was able to notice just how similar the woman looked to the last time he had seen her. From the way her tight, and form-fitting leather bodice flowed into her fringed dress with knee-high black boots to her half-styled hair that was barely contained with a simple pull back, Bellatrix Lestrange looked like a high fashion model that was about to go to war.

After checking out of rehab, of course.

Her look was crazed but somehow it didn’t take anything away from how regal and expensive her overall image projected.

And she knew it, knew that she carried herself as a daughter of the House of Black that screamed how much better she was than everyone else.

Harry thought she had no right to look this… _happy_ ; not after what she had done to Sirius or to the Longbottoms.

It enraged Harry how unfair life was, and he hated her even more because of it.

“Harry,” Hermione’s quiet, weak voice broke through his depressing thoughts of grief and rage.

With a quick turn of his head, Harry gazed upon his friend who he saw was bound in a similar state.

But there was only fear in her eyes.

“Hermione,” he returned in a gentle whisper.

It nearly broke him that she was in this position with him, that she had that look about her.

And he thought he understood what was going through her mind. He had been in these sorts of situations before; he was used to them. However, it didn’t detract from his current state of being in an impossible ‘it looks like I’m about to die’ situation any less frightening, but it did at least lessen the blinding panic that could overwhelm a person not accustomed to these sorts of things.

Which meant that Hermione’s prodigious and capable mind was not going to be of much use to them for the foreseeable future.

Which also meant that it fell to Harry to think of a way out of this.

With that thought Harry closed his eyes and did his best to center himself, he needed to call upon any and all mental faculties that he possessed. If for nothing else than a last attempt to save his baby. And he needed to so quickly because the seconds were ticking away and their chance of getting out of their latest predicament unscathed was dropping precipitously.

Not that escaping was likely to begin with but he had to try something to delay their deaths.

Harry was not one to give up until the very end and that was before he had found out that he had a baby to protect.

Now he had even more to lose and thus more of a reason to fight; he would do anything to protect his unborn child, regardless of whether Voldemort was the other biological parent.

His will to fight was stronger now, and as he opened his eyes a plan came to him.

It was a very _Slytherin_ plan and one that he was going to milk for all it was worse. And if that failed, well, then he was sure he could think of something _Gryffindorish_ on the fly. When all else failed perhaps he would simply take a page out of his mum’s book and invoke the same protective magic that she had done for him.

Anything to keep his baby safe.

After suppressing his Slytherin side for so long Harry wasn’t surprised at how easily the right mask slid onto his face. He had been fighting it for so long that of course it was more than ready to play.

“Hello Bella,” he stated haughtily, causing the witch to cock her head to the side.

“Wittle Potter _does_ know how to play…”

Bellatrix narrowed her eyes at him with evil approval.

“I know something you don’t know,” he teased with a smirk.

From his side, Hermione looked on in horror. She was convinced Harry had gone off the deep end.

Bellatrix‘s eyes then shone with a gleeful wickedness. She was all too happy to indulge the boy with a little game if that’s what he wanted. It was always more fun to play with one’s food.

“And what would that be little bitty Potty? Not trying to stall the inevitable I hope; the Dark Lord will see to your death and that of the Mudblood himself any minute now.”

The deranged woman moved closer to them and decided it was time to up the stakes. Her wand was soon inching threateningly across Hermione’s cheek.

Harry’s mask remained firm, even as Hermione was losing her battle to remain strong as the tears were now flowing freely down her face.

“Ah ah ah,” Harry chastised, “I’m not sure the Dark Lord will appreciate you harming her. Not after what she has done for him.”

Harry knew his plan was risky but if they were going to die anyways than he was sure this was his best bet. After all, he knew Tom and his followers quite well, and was gambling on using their unwavering loyalty and devotion to him to ensure that both Hermione and him remained unharmed for as long as possible. And then if they survived that then he would worry about what he would say to _him_.

All without having to undergo any needless _crucios_ that might end up harming the baby.

“You dare speak his name!” Bellatrix screamed.

“His name is not worthy to grace your lips!”

“Yes, yes, Bella, but he will be most displeased to find that any harm has come to myself or the girl. Of that I can assure you. In fact, I can practically guarantee that your life would be forfeited. We both know how protective he can be when something _belongs_ to him…”

Harry had planned on saying more but a look of terror had flitted across her eyes and Harry at once knew that she thought he was talking about the man’s Horcruxes. Interesting. Perhaps he had even asked her for help like he had done with Regulus, but instead of betraying her master she had become even more devoted to her Lord.

She stalked angrily over to him and now it was his cheek that her wand was resting against.

There was fear in her eyes.

“What do you know? What do you know!” her screams echoed off the walls in what had to be the grand ballroom.

His plan was working, even if things were escalating rather quickly. But then again, this was Bellatrix and the only way to fight crazy was with crazy.

“Hmmm, I don’t know if I can tell you. He is quite protective of his secrets I’m afraid; why, he might just kill you just for knowing.”

Underneath Harry’s façade of mock concern, and despite her sanity balancing on the edge of a knife, he was quite proud with how much he was getting under her skin. It felt quite satisfying.

Case in point was the way that Harry’s words had stilled her hand. There was legitimate concern in her eyes.

And then Harry realized that he had pushed things just a tad too far as her eyes darkened and a feral quality took over her features.

“You lie!” She growled in fury.

Harry was just about to switch to Plan Gryffindor when a new sound filled the room.

“ _Bella…,”_ the voice of Voldemort warned from the doorway on the far side of the expansive room.

Bellatrix narrowed her eyes at the boy before turning and greeting her master with her head bowed.

Harry breathed a sigh of relief and put his Slytherin mask back in place; Hermione, however, let out a small squeak as Voldemort fully entered the room and glided towards them.

                  Underneath his mask Harry understood her shock: this was her first time in the presence of the most evil and powerful dark wizard in history – not counting when the man was a parasite to Quirrell. No amount of reading could prepare you for that… or for the sight of the gigantic serpent trailing behind him.

                  But Harry couldn’t waste time thinking about Nagini or any of that. Now it was make or break it time if he wanted to survive the next few minutes. And he needed to if he wanted any shot at ensuring the survival of his child.

By. Any. Means. Necessary.

“Hello again, Voldemort, most noble _descendant_ and _heir_ of Salazar Slytherin.”

Harry dipped his head with all the right notes of sincere deference.

“My Lord,” Bellatrix whispered from his side, “something is different about the boy. He has suggested things… of which I am sure he is lying.”

“Yes, Bella, I’m well aware of what he has said; I’ve been listening the entire time.”

She retreated to the side and the Dark Lord continued on, stopping when he was about two feet from his restrained nemesis.

“The Boy Who Lived,” he followed just as magnanimously. “I’ll admit, I’m curious as to your little performance. I didn’t think Bella so easy to unnerve. But surely you realize that this time, finally, you have come to the end? And thisssss time,” he hissed, “there will be no chance to escape.”

His red eyes gleamed the color of blood and his thin mouth curled into a victorious sneer.

But Harry wasn’t deterred; this was his chance, _his only chance_.

“Now Lord Voldemort, is that anyway to speak to a pregnant wizard? Surely, you remember the last time you…”

Harry’s voice faltered when Bellatrix’s cackles filled the hall.

She dropped to her knees as the diabolical laughter consumed her.

“Oh! My Lord!” She gasped for air. Even Lucius and Narcissa couldn’t stop the chuckles that left their throats.

Voldemort, meanwhile, simply had an amused look on his face.

“Harry Potter is up the duff with a bastard child!” Bella cried from behind the Dark Lord, rolling on the ground in ecstasy as if this was the funniest thing in the entire world.

Now that he thought about it more, Harry was sure that their reactions would make his next words all the more impactful. In fact, he couldn’t have planned this any better.

“How rude, Bellatrix. Is that anyway to speak about the latest _heir_ of the Greatest of Hogwarts’ Founders? Salazar would have your wand for that.”

There was instant silence and the Dark Lord would deny the uncharacteristic blanching of his already pale face until his dying day.

With that, Harry dropped the hammer.

“Congratulations, Tom, you’re going to be a father.”

 

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**Reviews are appreciated. Hope that was satisfying. Next chapter will be the fallout from that _little_ announcement. Thanks for reading!**


	4. An Unexpected Place to Stay

**AN:** I think my favorite pairing is Harry/Tom. This story allowed me to write about them because it’s freaking taking forever to get them together in The Dark Lord’s Equal and I don’t want to deviate from the plot in my head to get them together faster because then things will be ruined!

 

**JK owns EVERYTHING!**

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“Congratulations, Tom, you’re going to be a father.”

There was complete and utter silence in the grand ballroom of Malfoy Manor. Everyone, including Lord Voldemort himself, seemed to have been frozen by those words.

The silence lasted for about three seconds, or until Bellatrix Lestrange fully and completely lost her mind; her insane devotion to her Lord and Master left her simply unwilling to believe that _He_ would bless anyone besides her to carry his heir.

“How dare you!” she screeched.

There was murder in her eyes.

“Like the Dark Lord would ever consider _you_ worthy to carry … his … his heir!” her voice trembled with nearly uncontrollable rage.

Her fragile mind couldn’t accept that the seed of her master was in another; it had to be a lie, and one that she would punish with death.

Harry had only a fraction of a section to register the sudden change in her stance that was accompanied by the vicious slashing of her wand through the air; however, before she could complete the specific and complex wand motion that accompanied her intended, and quite deadly curse, Voldemort’s hand reached out to the side and clamped down on her wand arm.

“Bella,” was all he needed to say to still her into inaction while he continued to glare at the boy.

His dark red eyes had an unreadable expression behind them. As if he were waking from a terrible dream his eyes looked up and down the boy, trying to make sense of reality again.

Surely there had to be a mistake? The Dark Lord was quite sure he would have remembered bedding the Boy Who Lived. Or performing any of the other dark and arcane alternatives necessary to result in a pregnancy between two males.

The Dark Lord needed to get to the bottom of this mystery.

In a swift motion, it was now his wand that was pointed at the young wizard’s stomach. Harry hadn’t yet recovered from Bellatrix’s attempted assault and so his eyes had only a fraction of a second to register the new threat.

In fact, the fear in his eyes left over from Bellatrix only grew as he wondered what sort of spell was about to be cast, a spell that he would again be defenseless from stopping. His heart was beating so forcefully that he was sure it was going to burst.

‘ _Fetus revelio!’_ The Dark Lord commanded in a near whisper.

Both Harry and Hermione recognized the familiar shape Voldemort’s wand had drawn and so by the time that the familiar-colored spell hit his stomach he breathed a sigh of relief. He should have expected that the Dark Lord would want to see for himself whether or not his words had been true.

The pounding in his chest lessened as the image of his tiny child appeared in front of his chest. Harry was so fixated on that image that he missed the sharp intake of air from the others in the room.

Apparently, they had expected his statement to have been an attempt to unbalance them.

Which told Harry what the next likely spell to be wordlessly cast would be. Indeed, seconds later and the Paternity Charm confirmed loud and clear the completely unexpected turn of events.

Voldemort’s mouth uncharacteristically parted in disbelief in response to the appearance of a side-by-side image of himself and the Boy Who Lived where only moments before the see-through likeness of his fetus had been. Even the man’s wand was stilled in a frozen silence in response to seeing what he hadn’t believed was possible.

But _somehow_ , the impossible had been achieved: he, Lord Voldemort, was going to be a father. And with Harry Potter of all people. The Dark Lord needed a moment – or several – to take it all in.

Nagini’s tongue, meanwhile, licked at the air from were she was coiled next her master.

“How is this possible?” The quivering voice of Lucius Malfoy sounded from he stood next to his wife.

Both of them had identical looks of shocks that had completely broken through their otherwise perfect and aristocratic features.

But no one answered him.

“What kind of dark magic is this?” Bellatrix hissed out, seemingly unaware of the supreme irony of her words.

No one answered her, either.

Amidst the silence, Harry’s tired eyes focused on searching for the slightest sign of trouble. Not that he could have done much but it gave him something to occupy his mind, making him feel like he was making up for his earlier lapse in concentration where Bellatrix had almost cursed him.

Then, as if Voldemort had made up his mind, his wand arm stirred again, and this time Harry was prepared to launch Plan Gryffindor; but the sound of his intended pleading died on his lips when the Dark Lord’s spell shot off to the side and behind him. Clearly, it was not meant for him.

Instantly, Bellatrix, Lucius, and Narcissa dropped to the floor, unconscious.

At this point, Harry congratulated himself on making it through the first round unscathed. Unfortunately, he was now firmly in what he considered to be round two, which meant that for his baby to have a chance, he needed to now convince the greatest Dark Lord who had ever lived to show mercy and let them live. One that in Harry’s experience was not known for his sanity or rational thinking.

“Explain!” Commanded the Dark Lord, like he was reading his mind.

His crimson eyes bore deeply in the verdant green of how Harry saw the world.

Harry swallowed the bile rising in his throat, his thoughts instead centering on needing to protect his baby in an attempt to control his emotions.

It was now or never: Operation Slytherin to start with Plan Gryffindor as a fallback.

“I have no idea how this happened… I can assure you that this wasn’t planned,” Harry began quickly.

“I’d been feeling off for the last few weeks; not being able to keep much food down or having all that much of an appetite, really. Then, earlier today or yesterday… we don’t really know how long we’ve been here…”

Harry paused to see if Voldemort would add anything but the man just looked at him, and Harry had the distinct impression that if the man had eyebrows that one of them would have been raised dramatically.

So Harry just got back right to the salient points, lest he risk annoying Voldemort with unwanted details.

“But then something happened, my stomach began to hurt terribly; the pain was unlike anything I’d ever felt before.”

Harry gave a quick glance to Hermione.

“And she was the one that gave me a look over and ultimately put two and two together and discovered that I was pregnant.”

Harry said the next part slowly, for emphasis.

“After the initial shock – because it sure as hell came as one to us – our first priority was in making sure the baby was healthy, which it is you’ll be happy to know. Then we discovered that I’m three months along, again with no idea as to how any of this happened. And then we found out who the other parent was and that’s where you come in. To think, the baby is a descendant of both Salazar Slytherin and the mighty Lord Voldemort.”

Harry was laying it on thick and he didn’t care that the Dark Lord remained apparently unaffected and silent.

“And then the Snatchers came and caught us and now you know as much about the baby as we do.”

But Harry wasn’t finished; far from it, in fact.

Maybe he was caught up in the moment and his Gryffindor side was bored; or, maybe, his Slytherin side knew that to be the most effective, he wanted to make sure that he got a chance to say everything that he wanted to say. Merlin knew if he would ever get this opportunity again.

“And don’t you think for a moment that I will let you do anything to the baby. I don’t care that your wand is pointed at me and I am defenseless and tied down. As you… very… well… remember, my mum didn’t need one either the night you came for me in Godric’s Hallow.”

At his side, Hermione could hardly believe the sudden change in Harry’s demeanor. As time had gone on since awaking in Malfoy Manor and her nerves calmed she began to understand the angle that Harry was playing to give them a chance at leaving here alive. But now Harry was threatening He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and she didn’t know why. She could only continue to watch with a gaped expression. Though, since she was only watching Harry from the side, she wasn’t getting the full effect of his performance.

But the Dark Lord was looking directly at Harry and could practically taste the magic swirling in the air. Aside from the young man’s forceful words, green eyes the color of death began to bore into his soul. It was strangely erotic and his skin began to tingle.

“I will not let you harm this child!” Harry’s voice continued with a steely certainty, a voice that Voldemort knew from prior experience was laced with magic. In fact, it brought him back to that infamous night nearly sixteen years ago.

“I invoke whatever my mum did, I offer myself in the child’s place. And so help me that if you strike me down you will lose your body once more. So if you take me, you will take yourself. I swear that on my life and magic!”

And Voldemort believed him. How could he not when the color of Harry’s eyes, so much like his favorite curse reminded him of the worse night of his life. For the second time in a few short minutes, this young wizard had given him pause.

Not that finding out he was suddenly in the position to be a father hadn’t already had him proceeding with caution. But now he had even more of a reason to take things slower and fully consider the options before him.

It wasn’t like the brat would be going anywhere.

During the Dark Lord’s internal deliberation, Harry’s eyes settled back into their normal color. Even though his main thoughts were to protect his child; he was unusually weak from the lack of sustenance over the past weeks and was quickly reaching the limit of what his magic could support or accomplish.

It made him tired, and also very hungry.

So hungry, in fact, that after knowing he had done everything he could have possibly done to save his unborn child he was cranky, otherwise known as hangry.

Thankfully, before Harry had a chance to say anything that would have negated his masterful performance in staying Lord Voldemort’s wand, the Dark Lord had come to a decision.

“Very well, Potter,” he stated simply.

The next moment a swish of his wand had freed Harry and Hermione from their bonds. Though, they didn’t fall to the floor as gravity would have like but rather gently floated down until their feet had found a proper footing.

Curious at the rare thoughtfulness that her master had just showed, Nagini looked from her Lord to the vessel that housed her master’s youngling. There was something going on there and after a few flicks of her tongue, what counted as an amused expression settled onto her face. The great serpent was most definitely intrigued if she were reading her master correctly, and she was sure that she was. After all, she knew him better than anyone.

Harry and Hermione barely had the opportunity to consider their freeing when seconds later Nagini’s suspicions were confirmed as all four of them suddenly Apparated to a spot just outside of the wards of the Dark Lord’s home.

Of course, Harry and Hermione didn’t know this. They were still reeling from not being killed inside Malfoy Manor and the sudden and distinct smell of being outside was something that they certainly hadn’t expected to experience again.

“Watch them,” the Dark Lord commanded Nagini before he turned and disappeared on the spot.

Before either Harry or Hermione knew what hit them they felt the heavy scales of the giant serpent coiling around their bodies.

“ _Nagini will make sure the bearer of Master’s youngling and his… friend… remain right where master left them…”_ the snake purred in a hiss that only Harry understood.

The sound of Parseltongue from someone other than Harry caused the hairs on Hermione’s arm to stand straight up. Which didn’t help her current attempts at not panicking over the powerful hold from the snake’s thick body that held her firmly in place. As it was she was dangerously close to falling off the proverbial edge; the only sound that kept her rooted was the calm and rhythmic breathing from Harry.

He at least wasn’t outwardly freaking out and she held onto that.

In fact, she was just about to force Harry to distract her with mindless chatter when the Dark Lord reappeared with a distinct _pop_.

He smiled at Nagini and she began to unwrap herself from her hostages, freeing Harry and Hermione to more easily hold onto one another for support.

“Now then,” Voldemort said to the pair, pointing his wand at each of them in turn.

A faint red light began to glow when it connected with them and then the Dark Lord waved his wand to a spot on the other side of him. The red light then dissipated into the air, causing a distinct set of ripples to appear beside them that Hermione realized at once signaled the presence of wards.

Wards that they had just been keyed into.

“If you’ll follow me.”

The Dark Lord turned after his clipped statement, trusting that Nagini would take up the rear without a single glance.

The young witch and wizard followed cautiously, continuing to hold hands with the deadly snake slithering behind.

“Where are you taking …” the words died on Harry’s lips as they entered a clearing and gazed upon Hogwarts.

Only, it was much too small to be the castle that Harry had considered to be the first place that had become more than simply somewhere to sleep.

“Hogwarts?” Hermione gasped upon catching her breath.

“No, this is my home. My _personal_ place of residence.”

The Dark Lord looked fondly on that which he had used his extraordinary magic to raise from the ground.

At the same time, he couldn’t believe that he had revealed such a thing to the Boy Who Lived… and his Muggleborn _associate_. Then again, he didn’t have anywhere else to put them that would keep them hidden, that would keep his heir…

“Do the Death Eaters know this place exists?” Harry asked without thought, making Voldemort narrow his eyes at the boy.

If it had been anyone else they would have been dead by now, but there was some part of the Dark Lord that valued the boy’s brazenness. He always had, to be honest.

“No one aside from myself and Nagini are aware of this place or can enter… not with the wards that I have set up. Speaking of which,” he again pointed his wand at each of them, causing a dark black bracelet to appear on their wrists.

“You are now unable to leave.” He finished with a deadly grin before turning and walking toward the castle.

Harry and Hermione could only stare after him, fingering the bracelets that now made them prisoners.

Though, with an _encouraging_ hiss from Nagini they quickly found their footing again and hurried off after the Dark Lord.

Nothing else was said until they walked through an exact replica – albeit much smaller – of the main Hogwarts’ entrance.

“The precision to detail is amazing; such exquisite spell work!” Hermione gushed out-loud with what had _intended_ to be a silent observation.

And then she realized she had in fact complimented her captor and the killer of her best friend’s parents and her face reddened.

But Harry was right there with her as his gaze noticed that the inside was as much the same as the outside; the resemblance to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was uncanny.

It was clear to Harry that Albus Dumbledore had severely underestimated how attached Tom Riddle had been to the castle. Suddenly, an uncomfortable feeling, one that had nothing to do with the baby, hit Harry’s stomach.

It was too complex for him to put into words but Harry understood the Dark Lord’s attachment, his inability to let go with the warm and comforting nostalgia of the past.

Of course, Harry kept his observation to himself and simply followed quietly as Voldemort led them up along an all too familiar path. Soon, they were standing outside what had to be this place’s version of the Gryffindor dorms.

“These will be your _accommodations_ while you are here.” The person formerly known as Tom Riddle gestured.

“Inside, you will find everything you need for the next few months. Tizzy!” He summoned with a serious if not bored expression.

An elf popped into view and immediately knelt down in front of her master.

“Yes, Master, what can Tizzy do for you.”

The obsequious elf was bowing so low her nose was touching the floor.

“You will watch over these two, making sure they have everything they need over the next few months. You are to obey them as you would me with the exception that they cannot leave the boundaries of the wards or inform anyone as to where they are or what happened to them. In fact, they are not to contact the outside world.”

“Yes, Master, Tizzy will be a good elf and carry out Master’s wishes.”

Hermione looked like she wanted to say something about SPEW but she kept her mouth shut when the Dark Lord gave her a _look._

 _“_ And you, Miss Granger… you will be responsible for the health of the baby, the health of my heir. Do I even need to inform you what would happen should harm come to my _heir_ … or the one carrying it?”

His glare was deadly and it was quite clear in her mind that failure was not an option.

“No,” she squeaked.

Then the Dark Lord turned and began to walk away, Nagini sliding smoothly over the stone floor at his side.

“This way masters,” the elf spoke quickly, leading them inside.

Harry wasn’t surprised that the identical resemblance continued on; his main thoughts were simply focused on the fact that Voldemort, his mortal enemy, had not struck him down. Somehow, him and his baby had been allowed to keep living.

It didn’t matter that he was now a prisoner in the Dark Lord’s home. His baby had a chance and that was the only thing that mattered.

 

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**Reviews are appreciated. Hope that was satisfying. Next chapter will see Harry and Hermione exploring their new digs. Oh, and Tom makes an appearance too!**


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